Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle
Lancashire
BB5 3EZ
Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. S D O’Brien
Parish Administrator: Ciara Kelly
Tel: 01254-232433
Email: stmarysoswaldtwistle@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Sunday 22nd March 2026
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Saturday 21st March
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass for Fifth Sunday of Lent
Sunday 22nd March
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass for Fifth Sunday of Lent
Wednesday 25th March
9:15am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Mass, The Annunciation of the Lord (Solemnity)
The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the most important in the Church calendar. First, it celebrates the actual Incarnation of Our Savior -- the Word made flesh in the womb of His mother, Mary. Second, it is a principal Marian feast. Two other feasts honouring Our Lord's mother, the Assumption (August 15th), and the Immaculate Conception (December 8th). New Year's Day, January 1st, is observed as a Solemnity of Mary.
(followed by Stations of the Cross led by Fr O’Brien)
Thursday 26th March
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Lenten Mass
Friday 27th March
10am Requiem Mass for Christopher ‘Chris’ Allen RIP
5pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
6pm Lenten Mass (followed by Stations of the Cross led by Parishioners)
Saturday 28th March
9am – 9:50am Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions
10am Lenten Mass
6pm The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
6:30pm Vigil Mass of Palm Sunday
Sunday 29th March
9:30am The Holy Rosary for Peace in the World
10am Mass of Palm Sunday
Sanctuary Lamp
This week (21st March – 27th March) the Sanctuary Lamp is for Michael Salmon.
Our Lady’s Lamp
This week (21st March – 27th March) Our Lady’s Lamp is for Jack & Andrew Hargreaves.
Last Week's Offertory Collection
£609.99. Thank you for your kind generosity.
Use of Votive Candles
We wish to remind parishioners that the votive candle stands in the Sacred Heart Chapel and the Lady Chapel are designed for use only with the safety candles provided by St Kilian’s. These stands are carefully made to reduce the risk of fire when used with the appropriate candles. Please do not bring or use any other type of candle on these stands, as this presents a serious fire risk. If you notice that non-safety candles have been placed or lit, we kindly ask that you extinguish them and inform Fr O’Brien or one of the stewards. St Mary’s Church is our shared spiritual home, and we are all called to treat it with care, respect, and responsibility. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Passiontide
This weekend marks the beginning of Passiontide, a time when the tone of the liturgy deepens and turns more directly towards the events leading to Our Lord’s Passion and death on the Cross. During this time, the statues and sacred images in the church are veiled in purple. This visible sign helps to focus our minds and hearts on the unfolding mystery of Christ’s suffering and sacrifice, as it is made present to us in the liturgy. Let us continue to ask for God’s grace in this sacred season, that we may draw closer to the Lord and walk more faithfully in His footsteps of love.
The Sacrament of Confession
“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.” — Ephesians 5:14
Having heard these words of St Paul at last Sunday’s Mass, we are reminded of our call to “awake” — to rise from spiritual darkness and not remain under those “spiritual duvets” that keep us from the Lord. In this Lenten season, Christ invites us into the light of His love and mercy, where He renews and strengthens us. One of the greatest gifts of this season is the Sacrament of Confession. Though we may sometimes feel hesitant, it is a place of mercy, healing, and new beginnings. The Lord is never tired of forgiving us, it is us who get tired of asking for His forgiveness. When we come to Him with honesty and humility, He restores our peace and gives us the grace to begin again. Thanks to Fr. O’Brien there will be additional opportunities for Confession in preparation for Holy Week:
Thursday 26 March — 9:15am–9:50am
Friday 27 March — 5:00pm–5:50pm
Saturday 28 March — 9:00am–9:50am
Tuesday 31 March — 5:00pm–5:50pm
Good Friday — 8:00am–9:30am
If it has been some time since your last Confession, do not be afraid — the Lord is waiting for you with mercy and love.
Holy Week at St Mary’s
Thursday 2nd April – 7:30pm
Mass of the Lord’s Supper. We commemorate the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood. The Washing of Feet recalls Christ’s call to loving service. Following Mass, the Blessed Sacrament will be taken to the Altar of Repose, with time for quiet prayer until Night Prayer at 8:30pm.
Friday 3rd April – Good Friday
8:00am – 9:30am – Confessions
10:00am – Family Stations of the Cross
3:00pm – Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
On this day we remember the saving death of Christ through the reading of the Passion, the Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion.
Saturday 4th April – 8:30pm
The Solemn Easter Vigil. The most important liturgy of the year, beginning in darkness with the blessing of the Easter Fire and Candle as we celebrate Christ’s victory over death.
Sunday 5th April – Easter Sunday
9:30am – The Holy Rosary
10:00am – Easter Sunday Mass
We celebrate with great joy the Resurrection of the Lord.
Acknowledgement and Thanks
Tom and Mary Jordan wish to express their sincere and heartfelt thanks to all parishioners for the kindness and support they received following the sad loss of their son, Tony.
As many will remember, Tom and Mary were a much-loved part of our parish community before moving south last September to be closer to their family. They have been deeply touched by the prayers, Masses offered, cards, and messages of sympathy received from St Mary’s. They ask for your continued prayers at this time and send their gratitude and love to all.
Thank You from Caritas
Thank you to everyone who has supported our diocesan charity Caritas Salford in recent months and that is doing so during Lent as we pray, fast and give. The demand for their services has continued to increase and all of your prayers, kindness and generosity make a huge difference to the lives of people in our parish communities. Find out how your support has helped, and see some special thank you messages at: www.caritassalford.org/thankyou
Young Adults Hub
The diocesan Youth Team are delighted to share news of the Young Adults Hub, created especially for those aged 18–35 across the Diocese of Salford. The Hub offers a welcoming space for young adults to deepen their faith, build authentic friendships, and grow together through prayer, formation, and social gatherings. If you would like more information, please reach out to Mikey hub.president@vol.dioceseofsalford.org.uk and Edward hub.chair@vol.dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Youth pilgrimage to Lindisfarne
Following on from the success of last years pilgrimage to Lindisfarne, we are offering young people in Years 7, 8 and 9 another opportunity to go to Lindisfarne from Friday 22 May – Sunday 24 May 2026. The cost is £120 which includes travel by coach and full board accommodation. We will be staying on the island at the SVP Camp. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact outh@dioceseofsalford.org.uk